Tainted Obsession
by CrimsonAndAureus
Summary: It was supposed to be a normal hunt, just another night of fighting demons. Akashi didn't expect to meet Kuroko Tetsuya, the person who would change his life. AU. AkaKuro.


So this is written by two people, Crimson and Aureus! This isn't our first fanfiction although this is the first we have ever written together, so there might be some mistakes but we both hope you like it!

Edited by AokazuSei

Chapter 1

It was a calm night with the cold air sharp and crisp as a vast of twinkling stars decorated the darkness. The moon was a perfect crescent, and yet, as Akashi looked up at the night sky with a wistful look, he couldn't help but wish it was full.

A small sigh parted his lips, white wisps of air escaping, before he jumped off of the roof ledge he had been resting on. Swathed in black clothing, he almost disappeared in the black of night if it weren't for his crimson hair.

Mismatched eyes looked around as he walked through the alley, dangerous gleam in his orbs. In a gloved hand, he twirled a small silver dagger with a golden hilt, the blade decorated with symbols.

It was a special knife, designed to kill the denizens of hell that wandered and mingled with the humans, wrecking destruction and mayhem everywhere they went.

Akashi pondered what sort of night this would be. Would he meet with another hunter, which happened from time to time, or a denizen? Either encounter would be interesting since his life had grown monotonous and dull from fruitless nights of hunting.

~.~

Kuroko Tetsuya stared up towards the crescent shape of the moon. It gave him a sense of foreboding, somehow as if something was going to happen that very night.

Kuroko didn't know what and he was sane enough to take caution of the ominous night. All he wanted to do was to go home and stay within the sanctuary of his own apartment. He quickened his steps just so he would reach his destination faster. The night was looking menacing even for him, and he didn't want to have to meet those... things that roam the streets and corners of his world.

Kuroko Tetsuya always had the ability to see creatures that lurks within the darkness, but there was no explanation why or how. Sometimes, he thinks he's delusional, and even more so, he labeled himself as a freak, an anomaly of nature, and that his mind was playing tricks on him.

But one day, he was convinced of their existence when one of them had managed to touch him. It felt sickening, shaking him to the very core, with bile threatening to rise from his insides.

Not wanting to remember the experience all over again, he shook his head and started pacing his steps faster towards home. It was a dangerous night indeed, and Kuroko Tetsuya prayed that everything will turn out alright in the end.

~.~

Akashi hummed as he walked through the night soundlessly, like a panther looking for his prey. Barely anybody gave him any notice as he sauntered through the city, though that suited Akashi since humans tended to just get in his way.

Hours trickled by and Akashi was just about to call it another fruitless night when he saw one of the denizens he hunted. It looked like a shadow of a person almost, except the shape was barely discernible, and it was nearly invisible in the darkness of the night.

It looked around and searched for a prey with glowing red eyes, reminiscent of the very fire it had been born from. With a small hiss, its mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth as its glowing eyes landed on an innocent male.

Akashi didn't pay much attention to the human, as he was more focused on the denizen, though it looked to be one of the weaker ones. The stronger denizens looked more human than shadow, some, even Akashi had a hard time discerning.

Gripping the hilt of his dagger tightly, Akashi's eyes narrowed as he slunk towards the denizen with soundless measured steps. He took care not to alert either the human or the denizen of his presence as he got closer.

The denizen was just about to pounce on the unsuspecting human when Akashi plunged his blade in its body. Unfortunately, even though he had been aiming at where its cold unbeating heart was, it had chosen that exact moment to jump towards its prey, resulting in his blade sinking into its back instead.

Akashi cursed as the denizen let out a loud screech that most humans couldn't hear, nearly deafening him. The denizen turned on him, blade still in its back, while Akashi gritted his teeth into a frown as he stood his ground.

~.~

Kuroko walked down a narrow alley. He was almost home, just two more turns until he arrived at his complex. He was almost positive that nothing will happen tonight, and that maybe his senseless fears were baseless and unjustified.

That was, until he heard a loud screech coming from behind him, making his blood run cold. He had never heard anything like it before. It was deafening, and the sound reverberated throughout his entire being, causing him to immediately curl down on himself, shutting his eyes and covering his ears tightly with both hands.

He didn't know what happened next, didn't dare to look. There were some noises and then a loud and final screech before something dropped by his side. He finally opened his eyes and turned his head up to look. What he saw made him froze still in his movements as fear immediately consumed his entire being.

It was one of those things, with its blood red eyes that whispered words of malice and despair. However, the glowing red within its eyes soon disappeared, leaving a dead hollow in its wake as its body dissipated into thin air like ashes into the wind.

Kuroko realized that he was trembling. He wasn't even sure if he could stand up at that moment, even as he crouched, his legs quivered. His mind was in chaos, and he could only wish everything that had happened was just a bad dream. That was until a voice suddenly cut through his very own thoughts.

It had come from behind him, a calm and composed voice. It reassured him, making him relax; everything will be fine, and yet the voice uttered only one sentence.

"Who are you?"

~.~.~

Killing the denizen, even without his dagger, had been a simple matter. Akashi wasn't a novice at hunting, and he carried quite a few hidden weapons within the folds of his clothes.

All it took was a little patience, allowing the denizen to come near enough for him to plunge a dagger into its heart, killing it instantly. Akashi watched passively as the demon fell onto the ground unceremoniously before disappearing like they all did in the end.

He sighed as he turned his attention to the male, only for Akashi to tilt his head as he inspected the male.

Even Akashi had to admit that the male was beautiful in his own right. Soft blue hair, reminiscent of the morning sky, and blue eyes that shimmered like sapphires; they were breath taking despite being marred by fear. For such a beautiful sight to be dyed by an ugly and weak emotion, it made Akashi frown in distaste.

Akashi was about to turn away; he had done his job after all and had disposed of the denizen. However, he noticed two things.

Firstly, this male could obviously see the denizens, a rarity in itself. Only hunters could really see them; humans remained blissfully ignorant.

Secondly, though this was more instinctual, Akashi couldn't help but sense something was different about the male. Was there something else other than his vision that made him different?

"Who are you?" Akashi finally asked, hoping the reply he got would help quell some of his curiosity.

Kuroko looked up at the voice that spoke to him. It was a male, and judging by that short distance that separated them, he seemed to mean no harm. Tentatively, he slowly stood up and replied to the question uttered.

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, who are you?" He questioned as he stared into mismatched orbs, blood red and amber respectively, glowing as dangerous as they were captivating.

"Akashi Seijuurou." Akashi replied slowly, each word measured as he studied the male even more, interest in his heterochromatic eyes. He stooped down and picked up the dagger that had been in the denizen, using a sleeve to wipe black blood from the metal. "You saw everything, correct?"

Kuroko slowly nodded at the man's next words, never breaking his gaze from the other.

"I can see them, but so can you." Kuroko accused. When was the last time his life was free from the nightmares? And yet, a stranger was able to deal with them like flies. That wasn't fair at all.

"Of course." Akashi said simply, shrugging a little as he slid his blade into one of his hidden pockets. "I'm a hunter, it's my job to kill demons."

"Demons..." Kuroko rolled the word in his tongue as the revelation slowly sank into his very being. So that was what they were.

Was it a blessing or a curse to know that nightmares he saw were real and not figments of his imagination? But then again, he was interested in another matter. "Please tell me more. I want to hunt them too."

"Someone like you is more suited in living a normal human life." Akashi said, stuffing his hands into the folds of his clothes as he looked at Kuroko with a small sigh.

He had potential, Akashi could sense it. But the type of training it would take, Akashi didn't think he was capable of that sort of endeavor. Training in hunter circles was usually left to the parent's or a trainer, although it was rare to find a willing hunter to do so.

Akashi himself had come from a long line of hunters; in fact, his bloodline trait was one of the strongest among the hunters. His parents had unfortunately been killed by the very denizens they hunted, but not before they taught Akashi everything that they knew.

"Please, I am begging you. Teach me how to hunt them. I have been surrounded by those things since I was a child. I almost thought I was crazy until I met you. So please, reconsider my request."

Kuroko had never begged someone so desperately in his entire life; even when he was surrounded by the very nightmares, he had never turned to anyone or begged for their help. He didn't want to involve anyone else, even when he did, they would be dismissed as delusions or lies.

"This isn't some life fulfilling conquest. Once you become a hunter, your life is always at risk. This one was a fairly weak one, but there are even stronger demons. It's not uncommon for a hunter to be killed." Akashi stood tall, his eyes staring down into Kuroko's. "You need to be strong, mentally, physically, emotionally. There will never be a time where you can rest. Do you really think you're even capable of that?"

Kuroko looked straight at the other's eyes as he listened to the other's words. There was a slight pause, but the response was firm.

"What else is there to fear when you have dealt with these things your whole life? I need to do this, no; I have to do this, for myself and anyone else like me. I don't want anyone else to go through the same thing I did."

Kuroko's blue orbs were filled with determination and his gaze was strong as he stared straight at the other. Weakness and hesitation were the last things he needed. Pathetic emotions like those would hinder any chance of convincing the hunter.

"...With a reply like that, you already sound like a hunter." Akashi smirked with approval, softly sighing as he sensed his more or less peaceful life coming to an end. He reached into the folds of his clothing and brought out a small dagger, a similar blade from the previous with the only difference being the obsidian hilt. "Here, you'll need this."

Kuroko widened his gaze at the other's approval and couldn't help but smile slightly to himself. He reached out and took the dagger from the other's hands before he weighed the weapon in his hands.

He liked the feel of the dagger. It gave him a sense of security, a sort of protection against the creatures. The blade was light and sharp, and with the proper training, it could easily cut one of the demons.

Looking up to meet Akashi's watchful gaze, he proceeded to smile.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. Training to be a hunter is hard work, and I'm not going to go easy on you. Most hunters are trained since childhood, so we have many years to make up." Akashi slightly frowned as he crossed his arms against his chest. He had never trained anyone before, and to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure how. "I suppose we'll begin tomorrow."

Kuroko nodded. "How do I contact you?"

"Ah, here." Digging into his pocket, he handed Kuroko a card before walking away. "This is just between you and me. Call me when you're ready to begin."

"I will." Kuroko replied as he watched the other walk away, standing still until the figure faded from his sight. His attention was then directed towards the card he held, pure white with gold engraved letters.

"Akashi Seijuurou"

Kuroko couldn't help himself, whispering the other's name in a murmur. He liked it. A regal name, suitable for the very redhead that had the presence of an emperor.

He pocketed the card within his jacket and turned to walk away slowly towards his home. From now on, things will change, and hopefully, for the better.

~.~

Akashi continued to prowl the city, hoping to find more denizens to take his frustrations on. Why he had just agreed to train someone was a mystery in itself.

He certainly didn't have any experience of being a teacher. He didn't even know if Kuroko could handle it; if anything, there was a huge chance he would end up dead under Akashi's care. It wasn't something that Akashi wanted to deal with; he had experienced enough death in his life.

However, he wasn't one to go back on his word so he would go through with it if Kuroko persisted in wanting to be trained.

Akashi softly sighed when he saw the sun beginning to peak over the horizon, lighting up the sky in its brilliance. With a small tired yawn, Akashi went to his small apartment to sleep; denizens were seldom seen during the day, most preferring the darkness of the night.

The very next morning, Kuroko woke up feeling refreshed and energized. It was most likely due to Akashi's presence the previous night. He wasted no time getting ready; he wanted to see the redhead, he wanted to be able to protect himself from the monsters.

Reaching for the card that the other gave him yesterday, he dialed the number in his phone with anticipation coursing through his veins.

A couple of rings later, Kuroko could hear the other side picked up with a sleep induced tone.

"Hello?"

"It's Kuroko Tetsuya, Akashi-kun. Are you busy right now?"

On the other end, Akashi placed the phone down for a moment, softly groaning to himself as he rubbed his face tiredly. He had forgotten that Kuroko didn't share the same sleeping patterns most hunters had, and therefore had no way of knowing that most slept during the day.

Akashi took a moment to recollect himself before he picked the phone back up and sat up from his springy bed.

"I'll be free during the day." Akashi replied as he stood up and made his way to the kitchen to make some much needed coffee.

Kuroko finished his phone call with Akashi with a smile on his face. He felt rather bad for waking the other up, but it should be okay if the other had approved of his request. And so, Kuroko headed out towards the appointed rendezvous.

Soon, Kuroko arrived and entered through the doors of the gym and started to look around subtly, trying to locate the other's presence within the deserted place.

He was about to walk over and sit on a nearby bench when he felt a tap on his shoulder, making him jolt in surprise. Turning around, he stared straight into the other's mismatched orbs.

"Akashi-kun, you scared me."

"My apologies." Akashi said as he looked at Kuroko, obviously tired and sleepy. "However, you should really work on keeping an eye on your surroundings. If I was a demon, I would have killed you."

Akashi yawned a little as he began to peel off his shirt, revealing a torso marred with scars, some were faint others were dark.

"We'll go for a light session for now. We'll need to build up your body to make it stronger. So for the first month, we'll be focusing on exercise." Akashi informed Kuroko.

"Okay." Kuroko nodded as he followed Akashi towards the back of the gym. Following behind the redhead, he couldn't help but stare at the other's built torso. Their heights weren't that much different, and yet he could easily tell that Akashi was significantly stronger than him.

Akashi turned to face him as he stopped in front of a sandbag , causing Kuroko to stare with curious eyes. "You'll need to build up your stamina, so for now we'll start with this."

"Just do what I do and repeat." Akashi said as he turned towards the punching bad and began to do a sequence of simple punches and kicks. There was nothing complicated about his movements, and it was simply to teach Kuroko how to properly kick and punch correctly. Strength and complexity in movements would come at a later time.

Kuroko watched Akashi carefully, blue orbs focused onto Akashi's limbs. The redhead was fast and strong, not exactly surprising seeing how easily he had managed to kill a demon the previous night. Kuroko could only wonder how long it would take for him to finally kill small demons and the sort. Though, with the training and tutelage of the mysterious redhead, he was certain he would eventually get there.

For the entire day, Akashi trained Kuroko, coming up with a regime that would help him get stronger. Training to be a hunter wasn't something to be rushed; it took years to be proficient, but Akashi saw potential in Kuroko.

As evening drew near though, Kuroko was completely exhausted, his low stamina finally running out. Akashi was hardly tired himself since he was used to this kind of rigorous activity.

"Go home and rest." Akashi suggested as he walked over to a panting Kuroko, offering his hand to him. "I need to go on patrol anyway."

Kuroko accepted his offer, putting his hands in Akashi's strong ones as the redhead helped pull him up.

Kuroko was so exhausted, but he felt somewhat happy. He had finished the whole training regime without fainting in the process; he couldn't exactly say that his stomach or throat were fine though. He knew he still had a long way to go, but at least he was improving slowly.

He turned to look towards Akashi, softly whispering words of gratitude. "Thank you Akashi-kun. Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

"Of course, I've been doing this for years after all." Akashi reassured, his hand lingering against Kuroko's before he withdrew it. He hesitated before awkwardly touching Kuroko's shoulder. "You did good today. Better than I thought you would."

Akashi still felt a little on edge about training someone, but at the very least, Kuroko seemed capable. Akashi was even beginning to believe that they could both get through this experience relatively unscathed.

"Thank you Akashi-kun, then I'll see you tomorrow, please be careful."

Kuroko smiled softly before he turned around, about to leave the premises, when he felt his hands being tugged back. Turning around, blue orbs stared into Akashi's mismatched eyes, questioning about what the other needed, when Akashi spoke with a definite tone, leaving no room for arguments.

"I'll walk you home."

Akashi didn't like the idea of Kuroko walking home by himself, not when he had just been attacked the night before. It just rubbed him the wrong way, and before he knew it, he was offering to walk Kuroko home.

"I just want to make sure you arrive home safely." Akashi slightly shrugged, letting go of Kuroko's hand as he tucked his own into his pockets. Resuming an uncaring expression, he looked into Kuroko's cerulean eyes once more before walking away.

Kuroko managed to widen his eyes in slight surprise at the other's offer before he smiled and nodded in return. It wasn't like he was scared of going home by himself, but having the redhead walking with him somehow made him feel more secure. Besides, he also wanted to get to know the redhead better in the first.

He walked out of the place with Akashi beside of him. He didn't speak but neither did Akashi, though it was a comfortable silence rather than an awkward one. But the silence didn't last too long before Kuroko decided to start a conversation with the redhead, appeasing his own curiosity of the redhead.

"How did you become a demon hunter?"

"I was born into it. My family is a fairly famous for its line of hunters, and the only way to marry into the family is to marry another hunter to keep our bloodline strong." Akashi replied as he looked up at the night sky. "Unfortunately, a powerful demon managed to wipe out my entire family, and I was the only one to survive. I'm still hunting him, but I will find him someday."

Akashi sighed wistfully as he remembered everything of that night before he shook his head of memories best left forgotten. The only reason he had mentioned it was to prove to Kuroko how dangerous being a hunter was, to see if it would shake his resolve.

Kuroko stared at Akashi with wide eyes as he listened to the other's words. No wonder the redhead was so strong. His iron resolve was clear within his gaze, and it made Kuroko wonder just what kind of life had the other had led up until now. Without thinking, Kuroko muttered the words in a wistful tone.

"You've suffered a lot."

"It's not unusual for a hunter. I doubt I'm the only one who had gone through such an experience. Death is everywhere, and no one is safe. It's why many people choose to hunt alone, so they don't have to go through the pain of losing a loved one." Akashi said honestly, his hands going into his pockets as he looked at Kuroko.

"Life as a hunter is indeed hard, I can tell from your words. However, I also think that hunters need to fight for a purpose, to protect someone they love, so they never lose sight of why they choose to become a hunter in the first place." Kuroko replied, voicing his thoughts out loud as he stared at Akashi's mismatched orbs with a clear and calm gaze.

"That's one way to look at it, but what happens if you lose that person?" Akashi questioned stared at the bluenette through the corner of his eye. "To have someone so precious, to lose that person, it's perhaps one of the worst things that could happen. It could break a person."

Kuroko looked at the redhead in silence. He thought about the other's words deeply before he pronounced his reply slowly but surely.

"I don't know Akashi-kun, I have never experienced losing someone so important in my life before, however... If I was the loved one of that person, then... I would only wish for happiness for the person I left behind, and hope that they'll continue to find a reason to live within this world. It is perhaps the ultimate wish for me, to see someone that I love live happily even when I am no longer there." Kuroko smiled faintly as he then closed his eyes a peaceful emotion on his face as he reminisced memories of the past.

"That may be your wish. However, it's completely devastating to the person left behind. Some are unable to move on. Some completely give up." Akashi replied softly, although he was able to understand some of Kuroko's reasoning. "It's hard, but maybe it would be worth it if you find someone who's important enough to you, someone important enough to risk that feeling."

"I'll keep your words in mind Akashi-kun." That was all Kuroko had said before they reached his place. Kuroko turned towards the redhead as he then bowed slightly in return before speaking with a grateful voice.

"Thank you Akashi-kun, please be careful on your way back."

"Alright. Shall we meet up tomorrow then?" Akashi asked, unsure if Kuroko would be busy or not. There was much he didn't know about Kuroko; after all, they had just met the previous night.

"If it's ok with you Akashi-kun. You seem to be busy with your job, and I don't want my training to burden you." Kuroko stared at the other's eyes with uncertainty, concerned about the other's wellbeing. Watching over him while hunting demons at night? That was certainly difficult to manage; he didn't want to cause anymore unnecessary trouble than he already had.

"It's nothing I can't handle. Sometimes on hunts, there are times we have to stay awake for as long as a week." Akashi said with a shake of his head, though even if he was sleep deprived, he seemed to handle it fairly well. "Once I deem you fit enough, you can join me in patrol."

"I can't wait until then. I'll see you tomorrow, Akashi-kun." Kuroko replied with a small smile on his face before he then started walking inside his apartment, intent on replenishing his depleted energy.

'I wonder what it'll be like once I can patrol with Akashi-kun', Kuroko mused to himself.

Akashi lingered around Kuroko's home for a few minutes before he stuffed his hands in his pocket and walked away in the night, pondering just how much the other male would change his life.

His thoughts trailed to their previous conversation. A small hum escaping his throat as he had a small thought only to be dismissed by a small sigh and a little shake of his head. He would train Kuroko, introduce him to the Hunter Society, and that was that.

"Foolish." Akashi muttered to himself. He was getting soft.

~.~.~

So please tell us if we should continue!


End file.
